Charlton U18s outclassed and overwhelmed the MK Dons U18s for all except the last ten minutes of the game this morning at Sparrows Lane and ended up 3-1 winners. The Young Addicks played some excellent football, looking adventurous and assured. For long periods, MK Dons were unable to get the ball as the Addicks stormed forward in attack with fast accurate passing. The attacking play was delightful but, when unable to penetrate, they were never afraid to pass back purposefully and begin another attack from another part of the field. It was an infinitely more exciting and pleasing performance than the First Team has been putting on recently. The rapid interlinking play with controlled passing to feet was a pleasure to watch and you wonder how and why these skills and this attitude to the game seems to get lost when they move up to full time football. Is it fear?
This was football with a smile, but not without passion and commitment and determination. They played as if they really cared - and I believe they do.
Stand out performances today were from Joe Pigott who, in addition to getting a well-deserved hatrick, won almost every ball in the air and managed a host of flick-ons to set up others. Diego Poyet and Jordan Cousins looked very assured in midfield, especially in the first half. Best of all was Callum Harriott whose tricks and turns of speed on the wing often left the MKDons defence gasping in his wake. It's obvious that he loves his football and despite being a bit short in stature his invention and enthusiasm is matched by his battling tenacity and a refusal to be nudged or pushed off the ball. In comparison, many of our First Teamers look lightweight and easily knocked aside. He also knows how to run into space and give his team mates an inviting outlet, rather than stand around hoping that someone might pass the ball to him in an unpromising position as .....(fill in your own nomination) does in the First Team .
I should have gone home happy at 1.20 rather than make my onward journey to The Valley.
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And good to know that Cousins, Poyet etc are continuing their improvement. How many are likely to make it into the 1st XI?
Keep meaning to pop along to see a youth game. Can you just wander in?
As the play offs are nigh on impossible, its now time to play the kids. He often goes to watch to youth side and has seen enough of them (and of our current team) to say that they can't do any worse. Also, we will probably have to play them next season (or some of them) and so best take a look at them now and see if they are up to it and so we know who to keep.
Theyt can't do any worse than Francis or McOxo and Jenkinson has shown what can be achieved by pitching in a youngster.
If we don't we wont be any better off.............also remember the number of youngsters we let go without seeing them in the first team only for them to prove they were good enough (Danny Shittu,Michael Turner, Charlie MacDonald, Myles Weston,McGliesh....)
Off_It - yes, just roll up. Dress warm - that cold wind always blows across the wide open spaces of Sparrows Lane. And be positive and encouraging. We don't want any of those people (and, of course, you're not one of them) who sneer and mock when things go wrong or who call for manager's heads when time is needed to establish a style of play.
As the play offs are nigh on impossible, its now time to play the kids. He often goes to watch to youth side and has seen enough of them (and of our current team) to say that they can't do any worse. Also, we will probably have to play them next season (or some of them) and so best take a look at them now and see if they are up to it and so we know who to keep.
Theyt can't do any worse than Francis or McOxo and Jenkinson has shown what can be achieved by pitching in a youngster.
If we don't we wont be any better off.............also remember the number of youngsters we let go without seeing them in the first team only for them to prove they were good enough (Danny Shittu,Michael Turner, Charlie MacDonald, Myles Weston,McGliesh....)[/quote]
I half agree, Golfie, but I fear that many of their budding careers would be cut short by the negative, impatient idiots in our crowd getting on their back.
And you think our fans would listen? Half of them want Powell out after 11 games. I can hear the boos ringing out now when some of the kids inevitably make a mess of things. Seasoned pros can probably just about rise above howls of derision, I don't think kids can do that so easily. I think part of the trouble with our current crop of First Teamers, in addition to the fact that many of them are not very good, is that they play with a terrible fear of failure because of the unrealistic expectations of our fans, many of whom haven't yet accepted the reality of the level we find ourselves at. Even our best young player for years, Jonjo Shelvey, had some of the crowd on his back because they still think we should be playing like a Premiership side even though we have, deservedly, crashed down two divisions cos we ain't good enough.
You don't just dump kids into the team - if you do some will sink without trace and be lost forever. You need to introduce them quietly, let them play with experienced pros and get used to playing first team competitive football, which is a big jump up from U18 stuff in front of a couple of hundred people at the training ground. In Europe players are rarely given that many games before their early 20s/late teens. The philosophy there is improve their skill levels, make sure they get a football education - and one off the park, and above all make sure that their bodies and temperaments can handle it and introduce them when the time is right. In Britain we have a mystical belief in blooding callow youths that bares no comparison with reality.
Report now on OS
Charlton: Hall; Morris, Osborne, Ajayi, Fox; Willer, Poyet, Cousins (Jordan 63), Harriott (Sho-Silva 83); Goldberg (Azeez 76), Pigott. Subs (not used): Gough, Popo.
Goals: Pigott 5, 49, 52.
Their style of play is that of Damian Matthew and you can see the first team are trying to do the same.
Hopefully the club will be trying to get all levels playing the same way (like Arsenal try to) and then the players coming through won't get the massive shock to the system when they have to play hoofball.
Another reason to be cheerful IMO